Volkswagen, BFGoodrich Tires, Blue C Named Presenting Sponsors for SCORE International’s ‘40 Years to Glory’ Gala

August 20, 2007

Volkswagen, BFGoodrich Tires, Blue C Named Presenting

Sponsors for SCORE International’s ‘40 Years to Glory’ Gala

Dirt Sports Magazine, Hot Rod Magazine, Bandito Brothers and Kartek Off-Road

Announced as Supporting Sponsors for Sept. 27 Celebration in Long Beach

LOS ANGELES--Billed as the largest evening ever held in desert racing’s long and colorful history, SCORE International’s forthcoming ‘40 Years to Glory’ gala will incorporate the horsepower of growing corporate support for September’s unique motorsports celebration. To be held Thursday, Sept. 27, 2007 at the Long Beach Performing Arts Center, the gala evening will be a tribute to November’s 40^th anniversary of the internationally renowned Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

SCORE International President Sal Fish and 40 Years to Glory Executive Producer Marty Fiolka today announced the support of an impressive list of corporate partners that will help turn a once-unfathomable concept into a memorable, once-in-a-lifetime reality. The presenting sponsors for the extravaganza will be Volkswagen of America, BFGoodrich Tires and Blue C Communications.

“Anytime you produce a major event like ‘40 Years to Glory’, there are milestones that are reached telling you that your timing, scope and purpose are on track,” explained Fish. “From the moment we explained the event concept to SCORE’s incredibly generous family of series partners, the amount of support we’ve enjoyed has been both gratifying and very much appreciated. ‘40 Years to Glory’ would never happen without them.”

Leading the list of presenting partners is Volkswagen of America, an automotive manufacturer with a Baja heritage stretching back to 1967 when a VW-powered Meyers Manx dune buggy driven by Vic Wilson and Ted Mangels captured the inaugural Mexican 1000 overall win. In the four decades following that historic achievement, Volkswagen-based vehicles have posted more Baja victories than all other manufacturers combined.

Recently named the official vehicle of SCORE International, Volkswagen and their Red Bull Touareg Dakar Rally works cars were the talk of the largest SCORE Baja 500 field in history thanks to an eye-opening performance that saw both under-powered, under-suspended VW machines place in the top-20 overall finishing positions.

In keeping with VW’s unmatched Baja 1000 heritage, company officials are expected to utilize ‘40 Years to Glory’ to announce very special plans related to November’s Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

Another long-time race supporter also backing the historic ‘40 Years to Glory’ gala is BFGoodrich, widely recognized as the official tire of SCORE International. BFGoodrich Tires took its first Baja win in 1977 as Frank “Scoop” Vessels won Class 8 for production trucks running the company’s innovative All-Terrain radial T/A. BFGoodrich-shod vehicles went on to claim 20 consecutive SCORE Baja 1000 overall victories from 1986 through 2005. Like Volkswagen, BFGoodrich Tires has plans to optimize their event participation by announcing major 2007 Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 news.

Blue C, a full-service communications company based in Newport Beach, Calif., was the first corporate supporter to back ‘40 Years to Glory’. Blue C is an award-winning agency whose clientele includes Toyota, Kawasaki, American Racing Wheel as well as SCORE International. A collaborative effort of partners Eric Morley and Jeff Bentley, Blue C’s branding magic is evident throughout every aspect of the ‘40 Years to Glory’ extensive marketing campaign; including the Website, print ads, on-site signage and event invitations.

Two magazines covering two different eras of Baja 1000 history are also involved with SCORE’s ‘40 Years to Glory’ event. Advanstar’s Dirt Sports magazine has been the sport’s premier print publication for just over three years; a highly successful blend of in-depth race coverage and award-winning photography. Primedia’s legendary Hot Rod magazine will also be involved with the event. Hot Rod was instrumental in documenting and promoting the formative years of Baja racing, and will contribute select black and white images taken from their epic photographic archives. Both Dirt Sports and Hot Rod will also sponsor media-related tributes during the ‘40 Years to Glory’ stage presentation.

The talents of the Los Angeles-based Bandito Brothers will comprise some of the highlights of the evening’s multi-media stage presentation. Two of the creative minds behind the SCORE Baja 1000 documentary film Dust to Glory, Scott Waugh and Mike “Mouse” McCoy’s Bandito Brother’s production company will provide creative and editing expertise for ‘40 Years to Glory’. Their upstart company recently completed high-end video productions for Volkswagen of America, BFGoodrich Tires and the United States Air Force.

Additionally, Corona, California-based Kartek Off-Road will also lend support to ‘40 Years to Glory’. Kartek Off-Road is a leading retailer of off-road and motorsports parts, together with its Pro-Am Racing Products division. Kartek is also a leading sponsor of the SCORE International desert racing, posting a total of $75,000 for the 2007 series championship point fund.

Tickets for this never-to-be-repeated event are now on sale from the Long Beach Performing Arts Center box office or via Ticketmaster at (213) 480-3232 or (714) 740-2000 or online at www.40yearstoglory.com. Guest tickets will include admission, dinner, and a commemorative event program. Like a concert or play, guests will also be provided with a reserved seat inside the Terrace Theater and sold on a first-come, first-served basis.

This year’s 40^th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, the season finale of the six-race 2007 SCORE Desert Series for cars, trucks, motorcycles and ATVs, will be held Nov. 10-16 as a journey down Mexico’s majestic Baja California peninsula. With pre-race activities in Tijuana, the race will start in Ensenada and finish some 1,300 miles later in Cabo San Lucas. With nearly 350 entries expected from 40 U.S. States and 15 countries, the historic race will be taped by NBC Sports to air on Dec. 30 on NBC TV, followed by numerous worldwide telecasts on ESPN International.

For more event information visit www.40yearstoglory.com.